Locomotive front-end frame



W. M. SHEEHAN.

LOCOMOTIVE FRONT ENDFRAME.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.26, 191B- Patented July 6, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

M. SHEEHAN.

LOCOMOTIVE FRONT END FRAME. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26. 1918.

P mamfiy 6, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

- o STAT I P "WILLIAM M. SHEEHAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO COMMONWEALTH STEEL COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

LOCOMOTIVE FRONT-EID FRAME.

naaacea.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1920.

Application filed September 26, 1918. Serial No. 255,779.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, lNILLiAM M. SHEE- HAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of 5t. Louis, State of Missouri," have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Locomotive F ront FTnd Frames,"of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates generally to locomotives, and more particularly to a frame which is positioned beneath the front portion of the locomotive body and secured to the forward portion of.the main frame of the locomotive, this front end frame serving as a support for various essential parts such as the pony truck, front draw bar and-buffer or pilot beam.

The principal object of my invention is to construct the front end frame in a single piece, preferably by casting, and to form inte'gral therewith such brackets and bearings as are necessary to accommodate parts of the locomotive truck structure and equipment, thus producing an exceptionally strong, rigid and substantial structure which in service effectually resists all strains to which it is ordinarily subjected and through the absence of joints being unaffected by the con; stant vibration developed in service. I

Further, the forming ofthe front end frame in a single piece greatly simplifies and materially reduces the cost of manufac ture, for it will be understood that a fabricated structure involves considerable time, labor and consequent expense in the fitting of the various parts together, the machining of the joints and the setting of a large number of. rivets or bolts. j

Further, by my improved construction, I am able to produce with practically the same amount of metal now used in a fabricated structure, a front end frame which has much greater strength and stability than the fabricated structure and likewise I am able to-pro'duce a frame having the requisite strength with comparatively lessmetal and consequently less weight than avbuilt-up or fabricated structure. 1

,With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel front end frame constructed in Fig. 6 .is a detail section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1'.

Referring by numerals to the accompanytaken on the line is a side elevational view of the ing drawings, 10 designates the side me'mbers of the frame, the same being generally of the form of channels with their webs:vertically disposed and their to) and bottom flanges inwardly presented. The rear portions of theseside members which are provided with outwardly presented top, andv bottom flanges 11, thereby making them substantially of I-beam shape in cross section, are spaced apart the proper distance to ad- 'mit of their being secured directly to the front end of the main frame of thelocornotive. The central portions of the side members gradually. converge and the front portions are substantially parallel with each other and with the rear end portions, and thus the entire frame is substantially in the form of an elongated triangle when viewed in )lan.

he front ends of the side members 10 are connected by an integrally formed boxshaped structure 12, the same serving as a support and point of connection for the buffer or pilot beam (not shown). A portionof the inner or rear transverse wall of this box-shaped structure is inset with respect to its end portions, as designated by,13, and the top and ends of ethe inset portion of said wall are connected to the walls of the structure 12 by integrally formed webs or walls 14, thus forming a substantial rein forcement for the rear portion of the boxlike structure 12. The outer faces of the end walls of the box-like structure 12, and the adjacent outer faces of the front end portions of the side members 10, are made smooth and flat, preferably by machining, to form bearing faces and points of attachment 14 for the rear ends of the pilot beam braces (not shown.)

Arranged a short distance to the rear of the box-like structure 12, and connecting the side members 10, is an integrally formed transverse rail 15, preferably of I-beam shape in cross section. Located a short distance to the rear of this rail, and'connecting the side members 10, is an integrally formed transversely disposed rail 16 with the underside of which is formed integral a centrally arranged housing 17 the same being open at its forward end and providing a pocket and point of attachment for the rear end of the front draw bar. The top plate or wall of this housing 17 is provided with a centrally arranged aperture 18, preferably busheu,

-and which is adapted to receive the pin or bolt which connects the draw bar to the front end frame. To the rear of the transverse member 16 the lower portions of the web or plate is reinforced in any suitable manner, preferably by integrally formed radially disposed ribs orflanges 21.

Located a short distance to the rear ofthe pony truck center guide 20, and connecting the side members 10, is an integrally formed transversely disposed member 22, preferably of I-beam shape in cross section. The top surfaces of the end portions 23 of this transverse member 22 are made smooth and fiat by machining or otherwise, and these surfaces serve as equalizer side bearing pads.

Disposed a short distance to the rear of member 22, and connecting the rear portions 11 of the side members, is an integrally formed transverse member 24 of I-beam or Z-shape cross section, the same constituting a brace for the rear portion of the front end frame. Formed integral with the central portion of this member, is a rearwardly projecting bracket or plate 25, the same serving as a support and point of attachment for a motor. Formed integral'with transverse member 24 at points near the ends thereof, are rcarwardly and downwardly projecting brake hanger lugs 26.

The rear portions 11 of my improved front end frame are provided on their undersides with integrally formed depending plates 'or brackets 27 the same being substantially Lshape in cross section, and these members together with the plates 11*, projecting outwardly fromthe upper edges of the members 11, constitute bearings and points of attachment for the forward ends of the side members of the main frame of the locomotive, (see Fig.

A locomotive front end frame of my improved construction conibines great strength and rigidity with minimum weight, can be easily and cheaply produced inasmuch as the frame and parts associated therewith canbe cast in a single piece, and the elimination of joints between the members ent'ering into the construction of the frame" of the various parts of my improved locomotive front end frame may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims:

I claim:

1. As anew article of manufacture, a locomotive front end frame formed in a single piece and comprising a pair of side members which gradually converge toward their forward ends.

2. A locomotive front end frame comprising a pair of integrally connected side members which gradually converge toward their forward ends, and a pilot or buffer beam support at the forward end of said front end frame.

3. A locomotive front end frame comprising a pair of integrally connected side members which gradually converge toward their forward ends, a transversely disposed meniber integral with the forward portions of said side members, and there being a draw bar pocket formed in said transverse member. p

4. A locomotive front end frame comprising a pair of integrally connected side members which gradually converge toward their forward ends, and said frame being pro,- videdwith a pony truck center guide.

5. A locomotive front end frame comprising a pair of integrally connected side members which gradually converge toward their forward ends, and equalizer side bearing pads on-said side members. i

6. locomotive end frame comprising a pair of integrally connected side members,

and a motor support formed integral with ing a pair of integrally. connected side members, a transversely disposed member con nectmg the rear POIBIOIIS of said side members, a motor support on said transverse member, and brake hanger lugs on said transverse member.

' 9. A locomotive front end frame comprisintegral with the side members to the rear of said front end member, andequalizer side bearing pads formed on top of one of said transversely disposed members.

11. A locomotive front end frame comprising a pair of side members which gradually converge toward their forward ends, a transversely disposed front end member formed integral with said side members, said front end member constituting a support and point' of attachment for a buffer or pilot beam, transversely disposed'members formed integral with the side members to the rear of said front end member, and a draw bar pocket formed in one of said transversely disposed members.

12. A locomotive front end frame comprising apair of side members which gradually converge toward their forward ends,

a transversely disposed front end member formedintegral with said side members, said front end member constituting a support and point of attachment for a buffer or pilot beam, transversely disposed members formed integral with the side members to the rear of said front end member, and a Pony truck center guide on one of said transversely disposed members.

13. A locomotive front end frame comprising a pain of side members, a transposed members.

14. A locomotive front end frame comprising a pair of side members, a transversely disposed front end member formed integral with said side members, -said front endmember constituting a support and point of attachment for a buffer or pilot beam, transversely disposed members formed integral with the side members to the rear of said front end member. and brake hanger lugs formed on .one of said transversely disposed members.

15. A locomotive front end frame comprising a pair of integrally connected side members which gradually converge toward their forward ends, and bearings on the rear portions of said members, which bearings serve as supports and oints of attachment for parts of the main rame of the locomotive.

16. A locomotive front end frame comprising a pair of integrally connected side members, the frontand rear end portions of which side members are substantially parallel with each other and the intermediate portions of said side members occupy angular positions and converging toward the parallel front end portions.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my v signature this 21st day of Sept, 1918.

WILLIAM M. SHEEHAN. 

